In computer networking, destination network address translation (destination NAT) is a methodology in which network traffic destined to a virtual host can be redirected to a real host with actual services or information desired by the network traffic. The virtual host may be identified by an original destination network address, such as an Internet Protocol (IP) address, in forward path (client to server) packets of network traffic. The real host can be identified by a translated destination network address. For example, destination NAT can be accomplished by modifying network address information in IP datagram packet headers while they are in transit across a network device that performs the network address translation. Typically, switches provide network address or port address translation. NAT is often required for current network deployments to protect the internal IP network from external networks. This can result in packets being re-circulated multiple times when performing translation and address resolution before the packets are sent out of the switch or other network device.